Between Heaven & Hell
by poolstorybro
Summary: Brady Salter (reader/OC) is just an average girl. That is, until she's kidnapped as Megatron's pet. But has Megatron met his equal? Can loneliness truly consume even the most deep rooted hate? Mankind has grown to fear the Decepticon Tyrant, but what's a God to a non-believer?
1. Infinite White

Let's see how this goes. If all goes to plan this fic will rock but pray for me anyway. Hope you guys enjoy and please leave reviews it really helps !

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"Will you shut up? We're gonna have a great time okay? Stop _panicking_ Si," green eyes hold Simon's gaze captive and he has to pause before sighing.

The hue is somewhat calming which, considering their piercing colour, was weird. Not that he cared. Anything that could even vaguely soothe his social anxiety was a life saver. A day into a new college and he was _already_ shitting himself. But they'd started together, he and Brady. The two had grown up together and well, they were often _inseparable_. The days were changing, however. Simon had noticed Brady's ever-growing desire to go and explore _alone_. She wasn't necessarily 'pushing him away', but she also kind of **was**. Honestly, it was like he was stuck in time, watching his friend grown up, leaving him behind. What if she met a guy here and went off with him? What if the guy was trouble and didn't treat her right? Woah, was that _jealousy_ twisting in his gut? Guh. He was a lost puppy, following her around and _god_ he must be so _annoying_!

"Si," Brady cocked her head, a brow arching in concern. "You okay?" She'd noticed his blank stare, drifting into his own thoughts again – though it wasn't unusual. She brushed a hand against the back of her neck; blonde ponytail hovering over sensitive skin. That was her excuse, anyway. It was really an act of insecurity – a sense of _vulnerability_ and the first thing she'd do is rub the back of her neck. Like when people bite their nails, except a lot less germy.

"Yeah! I'm—what? Sorry, did I—"

"—Drift again?" Brady smirked softly. "Yeah, yeah you did. Everything okay?"

Simon nodded. "Just going through the motions, y'know? I'm just—I don't know, _worried_."

"You've got every right to be. New place, new people. We've just gotta adapt, Si. Go with the flow. Sam's here too, _remember_ —"

"Right. **Your** friend," he grunted.

Brady rolled her eyes. "He's _your_ friend _too_."

Simon gives a gasp. "Does _he_ know that?"

"Stop acting like a kid. He tries to get along with you but—"

"—but _what_?" Simon interrupts.

"But you always shun him somehow. I don't know what it is but whenever he's around something in you changes."

"Well yeah because he tries to—" He paused, thinking over his words carefully. "He gets all—" Another pause before he sighs again. "I've known you longer." And finally, his gaze flicked to the floor and a pout lifted his lips.

Brady had to clench her teeth to stop herself from laughing. "Are you serious right now?" Her expression showed nothing other than pure surprise. "You're seriously jealous of _Sam_?"

Simon scoffed. " **Jealous**? No, not at all! I just don't like how he thinks he knows everything about you and takes you away from me to talk about stuff that I don't even know you're talking about!"

Arms fold across her chest and her expression falls tense. There were things she knew that she couldn't even _think_ of discussing with Simon. Sam was the only one she could go to when it came to Optimus and well, **anything** Cybertronian based. She was under legal bindings to not discuss what she'd witnessed – what she'd been exposed to. Not only would discussing it with Simon put her in danger but also Simon and anyone associated _with_ her, really. The risk was too big, one she wouldn't be willing to take – even for a friend like Simon. "You're my best friend, Si. C'mon, you really think anyone's gonna take your place?" Her smile is forced but believable.

He exhaled heavily, looking down the hall before looking back at Brady. "I just care about you, Salt. I worry. Try 'n' _stop_ me." His smile was also forced, though Brady noticed it, causing her to frown gently. He turned and walked away from her. "I'll catch you later."

Salt was a nickname, **ingeniously** derived from her surname Salter. "You will," Brady confirmed. Then with a sigh, she walked in the opposite direction of her friend. Further down the hall she could see two faces she was familiar with. "Mikaela, hey!" She greeted.

The brunette acknowledged her with widening eyes before concern seemed to furrow her brows.

"Something wrong?" Brady looked to Leo who leaned against the wall beside them. She wasn't too familiar with Leo and his general life but they'd met before. She had also been made aware that he was Sam's roommate which hopefully meant he was close. "Where's Sam?"

Mikaela bit her bottom lip. "Something _is_ wrong," she stated before walking towards a door. Leo sprung up from his leaning post and followed, Brady automatically doing the same. They reached the door and Mikaela opened it.

"Hey Sam y' bed buddy Alice—" Leo's sentence came to a sudden stop.

Brady glanced into the room, shock tearing into her expression at the sight of what too many of the guys at college described as the "hottest girl here", with her tongue several feet from her mouth, wrapped around Sam's neck who was on the floor, choking away. It was the kind of moment you'd scratch a record and say "I bet you're wondering how I got in this position?" Except this was real – believe it or not.

"Woah woah woah woah woah!" Leo exclaimed as the tongue, which was attached to a tubular length of metal?, retracted back into Alice's mouth.

The sound of Sam's screams filled the air as Mikaela threw the metal box she was carrying at the girl, but she dodged, sending the box off course and out of the window. Sam scrambled to his feet before slamming the door behind him. Brady couldn't recall her eyes ever being as wide as they were right now. Before she was even aware, the four were pushing through crowds of people until they were out of the building and racing for the library. Or as _she_ believed, their _lives_.

Step, step, step, step – "she's coming!" The alarming screech that came from Mikaela had her running faster which she didn't think was possible but there was some kind of Decepticon on their tail so who cared!

"C'mon, c'mon!" Sam ushered to Leo although Brady couldn't see either of their locations as she was too busy making sure her _own_ was far away from that THING! "She's an alien robot, you gotta move!"

Alien robot. Sure, nope, that was totally normal. Ha ha. Ha ha h a hahahha. She could _already_ hear the _cops_ and their responses.  
 _ **What's your emergency?  
Hello, yes, there's an alien robot attacking students at my college.**_

"FOR REAL?" Leo's response was that of someone who'd dreamt about the day they were involved in an alien war and then when they actually were, realised how totally _screwed_ they were.

"Just run," Sam instructed and boy was Brady trying. They reached the library doors and one by one sprinted into the silent room before dropping behind tall shelving.

She could hear Leo's panic but was more focused on catching her breath in case they had to run again. Guilt gripped at her ankles; she should be worried about Simon and his safety, not to mention her other friends on the campus, but _**really**_ , she only worried for herself at that moment. Brady's chest heaved as she peered over a shelf to watch in case Alice tried to sneak up on them. Mikaela snapped at Sam and further whispering ensued before Sam was vomiting _right_ beside her. Could things get **worse**?

BOOM !

The doors to the library literally blew open and off their hinges and technically so did the wall. Wood obliterated and launched through the wide space, Brady dodging just in time to miss a chunk heading straight for her face.

Alright, so maybe they could.

She could hear bullets hitting practically everything around her, adrenaline pumping hard enough to send her over the shelving and down onto the floor below. Her body blocked the impact of the ground and she was back on her feet in seconds, racing towards Sam – ducking beneath a table. Then more explosions began, books and wood bursting through the room. Something hit her in the back of the head bringing out a sharp gasp but she grit her teeth and bared the pain as screams and cries rung in her ears. They were trapped, the robot wanted Sam and even Brady wasn't willing to give him up. God knows what they'd do to him. But with Sam being in the same room as the students there with them, they too were at risk.

They started to crawl under desks before she was pressed to the wall. A line of students formed against the brick, praying that their last minutes of life would be painless, but Brady wasn't going down. Not yet, no way. She didn't give up _that_ easily. Something exploded beside her and her vision went hazy. More books showered their shredded pages from the air as splinters grazed her hands. It wasn't until Sam gripped her wrist, shouting for her to follow him, did she notice the giant hole that had now been blown into the wall. Her legs forced her to her feet and she was off again, running after the group into the open and out of the chaos – though not for long.

Silently, they concentrated on their exist, running from the premises and into the carpark where they were followed by a hoard of screaming teenagers. "It's a bomb!" Someone yelled and part of Brady wanted to respond with ' _if only_ '. Far better than being ripped apart by a psychotic, alien robot. Maybe. Really, she'd rather experience **neither**.

"Gotta get that box!" Mikaela called out to Sam who was quick to grab the metal container. Brady followed the brunette to a car, not hesitating on clambering onto a back seat. The door was slammed behind her and she scanned for the crazy metal bitch hunting them down. Leo climbed in beside her and Sam entered the passenger seat. The box was passed into the back and was placed between herself and Leo – a voice inside it causing her to raise her brows. There were more important matters taking place right now, questions later !

Mikaela began hotwiring the car when Brady spotted Alice coming closer. "Oh shit!" She cursed, unable to form words due to the shock. Only able to bring herself to point at the incoming alien, Brady tried to find something she could use as a weapon – even if it were a book it'd be better than nothing. Her search was short lived, however, when Alice – or robot Alice – launched itself onto the car's hood. Windows shattered around her, eyes closing on instinct as she tried to hold back from yelling. The snake-shit-thing tongue was through the windshield of the car now, swinging left and right in some kind of attempt to behead either Sam or Mikaela. The car's engine snarled to life and they were suddenly reversing and Brady felt as though she was on a boat for a moment, nausea and vertigo clawing at her stomach. "Fuckin' go!" She shouted to Mikaela – and holy shit _did_ she! The car raced down the road, dodging on-coming traffic as the robot smacked at the window and clawed at Sam.

"Kiss **this** _bitch_!" Mikaela slammed on the breaks, ramming the car into a lamp post which squished the psycho attached to its front. She reversed, and then _ran Alice the fuck over_!

Brady found herself almost disappointed by the quick change of pace; Leo beside her demanding further knowledge of the situation.

"Are you part of this shit _too_ , huh?" He poked her shoulder roughly. "D'you know all about this crazy ass—"

"That thing you saw back there—" Sam interrupted. "—that was a—" And suddenly everyone in the car was yelling "WOAH, WOAH, WOAH!" at the incoming helicopter. Mikaela once again slammed on the breaks, bringing the car to a screeching halt. Something came through the roof but Brady couldn't see what it was as she'd ducked and thrown her arms over her head to protect herself.

"OH MY GOD, OH MY GOD, OH MY GOD!" Leo managed to shout right into her ear and everything happened so fast she barely had time to blink. The car started to rise in to the air, bringing back Brady's nausea which swiftly vanished when something hit the car, sending it swinging in circles as they got higher and higher from the ground. One glance outside the window had her gagging and panic gripped at her gut when she realised Sam was actually hanging out of the car – feet dangling several tens of feet from the ground.

"SAM!" She screamed along with the other's but she could no longer see him, only his hands clutching onto the door. She couldn't reach for him either without being launched out of the car too. Another glance out the window and she saw water. What if the helicopter dropped them _here_!? No way could she swim the distance back to the city – she could barely swim a **length**!

Mikaela and Leo managed to grab Sam's arms, heaving him back into his seat. The door slammed shut and all Brady could think about was how vulnerable they all were. There was no way out. No way to survive. They were all going to die. Bam, _the end_ —

There was a loud clang before they were free-falling inside of the car. Cutting through the air, crashing into the roof of a building which collapsed beneath the force of their weight. They hit the ground head on, the front of the car impacting with the concrete which set off the airbags, before rolling onto the roof. A few seconds of what felt like peace quivered around them before what sounded like a chainsaw hissed and the car was being cut in half. Brady caught sight of the blade which only just missed her skin and she too followed the others in a scream of complete horror. Both halves of the car rolled onto their sides and Brady practically _threw_ herself from the death trap, stumbling into the Decepticon SIC himself, Starscream, who spat at them in disgust. Standing her ground, Brady felt her guts harden and managed to spit _back_ at him – though it wasn't as effective. She didn't want to even imagine how Leo felt right now. At least Brady had seen a Cybertronian up close before. Optimus Prime, to be precise. The Autobot leader and herself had formed quite the friendship. He had shown her around NEST and even allowed her up on his shoulder. Their relationship was similar to what Sam and Bee had, though not as casual.  
To come face to face with the Decepticon Lord _himself_ , however? Yeah, totally different matter. Unable to form words, Brady bit her tongue and allowed her expression ease into something of a stubborn manner. She could feel her legs vaguely trembling but no way would she give this vile monster the _gratification_ of instilling fear within her. No, she was stronger than that – **braver**.

"Come here, _Boy_ ," His gaze was fixated on Sam, though it momentarily shifted onto her, seemingly observing her for what felt like _far_ too long. She noticed how his optical ridges raised – if only a little – before he was staring back at Sam again. The growl that vibrated from Megatron's chassis was low, so guttural that she could've sworn the floor was shaking beneath her. "Closer—" He rumbled.

Sam raised his hands and walked towards the towering Warlord. Brady could hear Mikaela muttering for him to stay but if he refused Megatron's demands – four humans against two Decepticons would go to shit real quick.

"You remember me, _don't_ you?" Patronising. Brady actually felt frustrated by how patronised the asshole made her feel. Of course, she was well aware of the 'thing' Sam had been through with Megatron. The Warlord was **obviously** pissed, you know, after having Sam shove the AllSpark into his chest, ultimately _killing_ him …

"I did what you said, okay? Just don't hurt—" Sam was interrupted by Megatron's servo slamming down to where he stood. "SHUT UP," Megatron bellowed, long claws grappling him and pulling him into the railings which broke under the pressure – causing Sam to practically fly through the air before landing harshly on a concrete surface. With the other two panicking beside her, Brady was aware that this wouldn't stop, and she wouldn't stand and watch Sam die at the hands of the Decepticons.

"Stay here—" She whispered to Mikaela and Leo before subtly making her way down a path that would bring her closer to Megatron and Sam. With her wits about her, Brady looked to Starscream who was far too entertained by Megatron's current doings to be focussing on the _humans_. Rolling her eyes, she scanned the ceiling and sides of the building for heavy objects and sure enough, several cables were holding _distraction material_ directly above Megatron. All she needed to do, was cut the cables near _her_.

"—we have some delicate work to do," A shiver ran up her spine at the tone of Megatron's voice. Something about it managed to slip into her thoughts like a snake through bars. She'd noticed it had got to her before, though she'd managed to brush it off. Now, however, she was more interested in what the hell was **wrong** with her? Attracted to a genocidal, robotic, psycho's voice? Sure, _why not_. Believe it or not, there really were worse things in the world. What did Megatron mean by delicate work, though? And why did he need _Sam_ for it?

Hesitation is a hole in the head. Really, so was bad timing. "Stop getting _distracted_ ," she grumbled quietly. Casting her gaze over the side and to Sam's position, she took her eyes off the path she was walking and tripped on some metal that had flown from the steps Megatron had wrecked. Pain pulsed within her knee and by assessing the joint, she noticed a shard of metal had implanted itself through the skin on impact. "Fuck!" Brady whimpered, hoping no one had heard her.  
Megatron's continued monologue showed that clearly nothing had been interrupted. A frown curved soft lips and brows furrowed as she gripped the shard and yanked it from her leg. Blood began to drip and really, she was stuck for ideas on what to do; there wasn't _time_ to bandage shit right now. Clenching her teeth, she took the bloodied shard and hopped towards the cables, wrapping her hand around one. Another glance over to Sam revealed something she _immediately_ regretted witnessing. Something was crawling inside of the boy's mouth, making him gag and wretch. Brady wanted to vomit _right there and then_ , holy shit that had to be one of the most disgusting things she'd ever _seen_!

Gulping bile, she began to saw at the cables, watching as the wires slowly but surely started to fray. CLUNK. One cable was down, so she sawed at the next. Her concentration was growing stronger until she heard something nearing her position. Looking about the room, she noticed something flying through the air towards her, sending her dropping to her knees again. With the adrenaline surging through her, she'd forgotten about her bleeding knee. Until now, of course, as when she hit the ground for a second time she had to bite her lip to stop the scream attempting to force its way out. The pain was back but relief washed over her when whatever was flying towards her swooped over her and down to Sam.

Brady sighed heavily, her expression creasing up as she pushed herself back to her feet and over to the cables. Grabbing the half cut wiring, she continued to saw, and it wasn't long before that cable was cut in half too. There was only one left, but her motivation faltered when she could hear the sound of an actual saw followed by Sam's shouting. Practically ripping the last cable apart, the heavy material above Megatron's head was released, hitting the Warlord directly on the helm. Then everything started to blur. Her adrenaline completely took over when the roof started to collapse and Optimus Prime dropped in through it like a true hero. Beside her, the window and brick work obliterated and Bumblebee appeared through the rubble. Gunfire deafened her but didn't stop her as she sprinted back over to Leo and Mikaela who were already making their way towards the exit of the building – which really, was _multi-choice_ now.

Stuck between Starscream and Bumblebee's stand-off, Brady continued to run – explosions every few metres behind her. Terror pushed her faster and faster until she was outside but no way was _that_ the _end_ of it.

Why did she allow herself to get caught up in these situations?

Why didn't she just move somewhere nice and quiet and get a relaxing job and some non-anxious and paranoid friends?

Of course she was asking herself these questions as she was climbing onto one of Optimus Prime's seats – beside Sam Witwicky, her _alien-bad-news-magnet_ friend.

It was only a matter of seconds before Optimus slammed on the speed and shit Brady wasn't even aware trucks could go so fast! Brady laughed loudly, "we're going to die haha it's fine, everything's _fine_!"

"Brady you gotta chill okay we can't—oh shit your leg!" Sam's brows rose at the sight of Brady's blood soaked leg. A deep gash upon pale skin drew attention like a spotlight and a sharp gasp left her as Sam prodded at the skin around the wound.

"What the fuck are you doing!?" Brady hissed, slapping his hand away.

Sam raised his hands in defence. "Sorry I'm— _haha_ —I'm freakin' out a little okay sorry if I crossed the line I mean the line's real hard to _define_ right now we're bein' chased by a metal can of just pure **rage** _okay_ Brady and you're frickin' bleeding out all over Optimus and—"

Brady scowled. "Oh no shit you're right, whoops, _sorry_ Optimus I got a little blood on you from the giant fucking gash in my leg I accidentally got that's **my** bad _really_!"

"Woah, okay you don't need to be rude okay I'm sorry look Salter I'm sorry okay I'm just a little sensitive right now y'know?"

"You are not at fault, Brady, and Sam, please calm down I will keep both of you safe—" Optimus's voice was an instant drug to Brady. Something about it possessed such gravity and power but it was so gentle at the same time. The two humans fell silent as Optimus sped down dirt tracks and through a forest.

"Here he comes!" Sam warned. Brady's eyes widened at the incoming orb of blue light before it hit Optimus, causing him to transform – launching both Sam and Brady out and into the dirt and tall grass.

Brady didn't see what happened to Optimus next as both she and Sam raced for a hiding place at Prime's _command_. Trees collapsed around them as they ran, both stopping momentarily to look for Optimus who was caught in mid-fight with Megatron. A tree was thrown at the Warlord and dirt sprayed through the air like a wave.

"Decepticons!" Brady heard Megatron call out for back up and yelped when Starscream landed right behind them, breaking through trees with impossible ease. "Come here, _Boy_!" The SIC spat.

"You gotta run **now**!" Brady yelled, grabbing Sam's arm and yanking him along with her – away from Starscream. It was seconds before he was _right_ behind them, however, his long legs making humans look so _pathetic_. Like a rabid dog he followed and had it not been for the stone cold fear that ripped through her she would've given up to the pain in her leg. But thanks to the fear, her leg was the least of her problems as she raced through falling trees with Sam beside her – his grip yanking _her_ along now. Just when she thought Starscream was the only issue they'd face, **Megatron** joined the chase and that only made her run _faster_.

Optimus was once again involved but she couldn't see how. She followed Sam to a fallen tree, leaping over it before landing in the dirt. At this rate, her wound would be infected in no time and she'd probably _die_ from _septicaemia_ but why not enjoy the thrill! Pressing her back against the cool soil, she scowled when Sam ran down to the stump – a distance away from her. Grunting, she was on her feet again, limping towards her friend. They both peeked over the tree, the sound of Megatron trying to convince Optimus being a _familiar_ conversation. Again, Sam was sprinting closer to the deadly robots but Brady stayed _seated_ this time, watching as all hell broke loose. More so than it already _had_. Megatron shot at Optimus, launching the Prime through the air before hitting the ground – skidding to a halt right beside her.

"Optimus!" She cried out. "C'mon you gotta _get up_ , get up _Optimus_ get up!" It sounded fairly pathetic really, the begging and whining. But at the end of it all, Optimus was their only hope. And he was her friend. She couldn't lose him, not yet.

"Is the future of our race not worth a _single_ human life?" Megatron questioned.

The Prime pushed himself up, spitting metal from his mouth as he got into a fighting stance. "You'll never stop at one," Optimus stated as his hands transformed into blades. "I'll take you all on!" And then he threw himself back into the fight, three Decepticons against one Autobot seeming like laughable odds until he kicked Megatron's tin can ass, ripped off Starscream's arm and slapped him with it before jumping onto Grindor and ripping his face in two – offlining him in the process.

"Sam! Where are you?!" Urgency was evident in Optimus's call but it quickly turned to strained shouts of pain as Megatron gripped a shoulder, his sword tearing through the Prime's chest. "NO!" He cried out.

Brady could only _watch_ – her jaw dropped and eyes wide. No way could Optimus **die**! It just wasn't—there was just no way—

Sure enough, as if to _answer_ her question, Megatron's canon blew a hole straight through Optimus's spark, the sound causing Brady to _scream_ her disbelief. "You are so weak!" Megatron sneered.

"You fucking **monster**!" Brady howled, attempting to race over to the Warlord with adrenaline fuelled confidence. Sam grabbed her and held her back, well aware that she would be the cause of her _own_ death.

Fire caught onto trees and began to grow, the sound of Megatron's sword being unsheathed from Optimus's chest rang out through the forest and everything seemed to slow down as he fell to the ground with an _undignified_ boom.

"Sam, run," Optimus managed to force out before his cerulean optics offlined and life seemed to be whisked off into the breeze and away.

And just as he'd been told, Sam turned and started to run away – _dragging_ Brady with him. Autobots started to arrive, firing at the Decepticons and as they neared Bumblebee, Sam's grip started to ease allowing Brady to slip from him and run _back_ to Optimus.

"Brady, **no**!" Sam yelled after her, hoping she'd stop and come back but being as _stubborn_ as she was, Brady didn't even hesitate as she made her way over to her dead friend.

"Optimus please **don't**!" She sobbed. "Please come back please you can't be _dead_ Optimus!" She collapsed onto the metal of his arm, gripping it close to her when she suddenly felt something shadowing her form. It was then that she was lifted high into the air causing nausea to taunt her stomach as she came face to face with **Megatron**. Screaming, she mentally slapped herself for feeling such **fear**. "Put me down you _jackass piece of tin can motherfucking shit_! Put me down, don't touch me you _bug-ass metal man_ I'm gonna _kill_ you for what you did put me _down_!"

Of course, Megatron could only bring himself to _laugh_ at the pathetic insect within his palm but a blast to the shoulder brought him back to the _current_ situation. If the worm gets hit it will **die** , therefore, he must take it out of firing _range_. His grip tightened around the girl's form as his jets fire up, lifting them into the air.

Panic struck her hard at the realisation that she was alone and utterly _defenceless_ right now in the hold of the Warlord that wanted to bring the entire human race to _extinction_. She kicked and clawed at whatever she could but it only bought her pain. She would be covered in cuts and bruises by the next morning – if she even _lived_ for that long. Soon enough, she fell limp in his hold, acknowledging that even if she _were_ to get free, she'd only fall a heart-stopping height straight to her **death**. At least it would be quick and _hopefully_ painless, right? Compared to whatever Megatron might inflict upon her.

Exhaling defeat, her head lolled against the cool metal of Megatron's servo. The wind was rough but at least her hair was up and out of her face. They'd been flying in silence for over fifteen minutes and Brady had been zoning in and out of sleep until she felt the vicious pain _drilling_ at her knee again – though it was worse than before. Bruising had started to set in and she was pretty certain she'd lost a _lot_ of blood which made her understand a little better that the reason she was shaking and shivering was due to the slow but dangerous onset of **shock**. "Please—" she whispered but the wind was so harsh she was pretty sure it had muffled her from Megatron's hearing. Nonetheless, crimson optics met her sharp, green gaze and it was _that_ cruel glow that _followed_ her into **darkness**.


	2. Assumptions

"We've gotta go back!" Sam rammed a fist into his leg several times in frustration. "We can't just _leave_ her with **Megatron** he'll tear her apart or whatever sick stuff that asshole's into I don't even care! _Bee_!"

"Negative :: champ :: we gotta stick togetha !" Bee responded through his radio.

"Exactly, Bee! Leaving Brady isn't very _sticking together_ , is it?"

"Sam :: you are my :: number one :: priority here man :: don't make this :: hard on me."

"No, y'know what I _am_ 'cause we _coulda_ gone back and we coulda _saved_ her. Optimus would've—"

There was a scolding beep from the Scout. _Too soon_ , clearly.

"Fine, Bee. We'll just leave her with that psycho. He'll probably send _pieces_ of her through the mail or whatever but it's **fine**."  
Sam wouldn't even think about telling Simon. Not unless he felt it was necessary, which, right now, it _wasn't_. Besides, how would he explain that she got kidnapped by a tyrannical, genocidal Warlord maniac? It just wasn't believable. Sam was happily in the friend zone with Brady and it was one hundred percent **not** awkward. Simon still saw him as a threat, however, which made any social interactions with him _super_ uncomfortable. But he still held himself accountable for letting her go. For not chasing after her. If she survives whatever Megatron's got planned for her, she is _so_ going to be pissed when she gets back.

"We'll find her :: kiddo :: don't you worry about it :: I promise."

Sam's brows furrowed into a frown as he glanced out of the window. Brady was out there, somewhere, _alone_. Who knows, maybe she was already **dead**.

* * *

"Doubt has killed more dreams than failure ever will—" Optimus's digits rolled against the cliff's edge, feeling the rough texture. Cerulean optics watched the distance like a picture on a wall – he'd always been so fascinated by Earth's hidden beauty. When things became too chaotic he would disappear and the Autobots would often find him in mother nature's mute company.

The Prime often took night drives simply to star gaze. _Space_ – it was **home** , before Earth. The stars bound together and formed _souls_ , and when a Cybertronian died, their souls would once again become stars, watching down upon their family. Sometimes, he even allowed Brady to come with him on these drives, which was why they were out within the midnight air, perched on a cliff, the two sat side by side, admiring the different shades of blue that painted the sky and the many bright stars scattered amongst it.

"Doubt is just a _normal_ human reaction to things I guess," Brady bit her lower lip in thought. The idea of deep conversations would usually bring her to laughter but Optimus instilled some kind of _wisdom_ within her – she would listen and learn willingly just to hear his stories.

"I believe it is a habit," The Prime stated.

Brady gave a gentle nod. "I can see why you think that. I mean it's not like we're born and _immediately_ start doubting things, like I don't know 'oh crap I can't use my hands right now so I'll _never_ be able to do the Macarena properly!'"

There was a momentary silence causing Brady to glance over to the Prime who only stared back at her in confusion. He probably had _no idea_ what she was talking about and to be honest, neither did she. "Forget I said that—"

Optimus merely smiled softly, giving a nod before looking back out to the landscape. Brady hugged herself, embracing her own form to keep it from the cold as a shiver slivered up her spine, causing her to give a shaky exhale.

"Are you okay?" Optimus inquired, optical ridges curved with concern.

"Fine," Brady reassured. "Just _cold_ , I should've brought more layers…"

More concern twitched within his expression. "I should take you home."

Ignoring his words, Brady pulled her knees up to her chin and held herself close. The view before her was too good to just walk away from, but she could no longer feel her forearms.  
If Megatron ever managed to take over Earth, if he ever managed to turn it into a _wasteland_ as **barren** as Cybertron— she didn't even want to debate whether such a thing was _possible_.  
"Okay," She huffed. "I'm ready to go." That was a lie, she could sit here with Optimus admiring the landscape _forever_ but with Megatron plaguing her thoughts it would become distressing very quickly.

Optimus pushed himself to his feet, careful not to knock or stand on Brady as he did so. He transformed before her, his red and blue paint job contrasting against the moon. The passenger door clicked open and she started to walk towards him when a sudden gust of wind had her drifting back to the edge of the cliff. "Brady!"

She felt as though she was wading through water, trying to escape a current that hoped to drag her down to _drown_ – except there was **no** water. The ground beneath her became slippery, like oil, as she tripped and slipped closer to the edge with only the strong breeze holding her upright. Then, she reached the edge and started to fall. Optimus's servo was _reaching_ for her, trying to catch her, but it was _too late_. She was falling into darkness, slow and endless or so she thought, until she hit the ground with a – _click_ ?

Darkness was unexpectedly flooded with light, as though she was staring at the sun. Flinching, she hit her head against something and clenched her eyes shut again. Slowly, they reopened but the light was _gone_ this time. As her sight adjusted, she found herself within a dimly lit room, purple lights upon the ceiling giving the room a regrettably _sensual_ feeling. It was almost relaxing, until something appeared before her making her jump – though she soon discovered she couldn't move. Both her wrists and ankles were bound and her head was also restrained against what she could only assume was a table. She felt fairly numb but the panic surging through her was _undeniable_. The last thing she remembered was – **Megatron** ! His crimson optics and his cruel, metal grip …

 _Abduction_! Green hues were now wide, her brain awake as she scanned the room she was in. The robot before her was definitely from the factory, the one Megatron had called Doctor, and she was definitely restrained like some kind of mental patient to a cold, metal bed that was several times bigger than her but evidently manufactured for _smaller_ bots.

She could only make out the complete _gibberish_ the doctor was spitting at her. She'd heard him speak English, but obviously that was an absent thought to the mech right now as he leapt around like a spider about to be crushed. He clicked his digits a few times before crawling down to her leg, pointing at the limb. Brady cast her gaze down, eyes widening at the recollection of her wound and how she must've passed out from the loss of blood. Further observation showed that it was no longer open to infection anymore. Had the Decepticon doctor _really_ sown up her wound? But—why?

Megatron obviously wanted his pet in _top condition_ for him to simply rip apart again.

There was a sharp pinch in her arm as the Doctor injected some kind of fluid into her. Brows drooped into a frown. "What was that!? Where am I?"

The Decepticon looked back to her, cocking his helm before nodding. "Ship!" He stated. "Zhe _ship_."

So she was currently in the presence of a mad Decepticon doctor with a German accent? Great. No, totally cool, _all good_. Oh, no hang on, not only _that_ , but she was also aboard the Decepticon Warship? **Megatron's** ship?

She might as well start counting her minutes. Hours, if she was lucky.

Doors sliding open filled the silence and she could hear heavy footsteps coming closer. It's Megatron, he's come to kill her, _this is it_.

The voice was low, but not as low as the Warlord's. It didn't have the same impact on her either. What must've been Cybertronian was spoken fluently and she'd be lying if she said it didn't soothe her just a _little_. "You are relieved of your duty, Doctor."

With a nod, the Doctor was gone and a new Decepticon came into view. One by one, each restraint was removed from her until she was free to move as she pleased. "I am required to watch you until Megatron returns," he stated. "Behave, or I will not hesitate to _squish_ you, Fleshy."

Brady scowled at the nickname. "No problem, Metal Tits. Where's Megatron returning from?" So he kidnaps her and then doesn't have the decency to wait for her to _wake up_?

"It's Barricade, Bug Shit. And that information's classified. Seeing as your survival among this ship is currently my duty, maybe I can give you some kind of tour?"

Her eyes widen. Barricade? Yep, Sam had _definitely_ mentioned this guy before. "That's like asking me if I want to go and look at coffins."

The mech only stared back. Obviously, no one had said something like that to him before.

"Am I a prisoner?" It was an impulse question, but she didn't really understand where stood with well, any of the Decepticons. She was well aware of what they thought of humans and what they wanted to _do_ to them, but was she a guest or a prisoner or just some form of entertainment for them? Where was the line and how could she _avoid_ it?

"You follow me, and don't get lost. I'm not gonna get held responsible for your lack of control," Barricade replied, grimacing as he held out a servo to the girl.

Was she supposed to _shake_ it? Why was he holding it out to her? Surely he wasn't asking her to step on? That would involve a lot of trust that she wasn't willing to give! Green eyes simply watched the servo, switching her gaze back to crimson hues every now and then in question.

" _Get on_ ," Barricade grunted, an optical ridge arched. He was fighting amusement with frustration, the combination causing his expression to twitch. Granted, she'd heard not _every_ Decepticon was an A-grade asshole to humans. Hopefully Barricade was one of them. It was like some badass guy who was too cool for emotions, yet he still felt them.

"Sure thing Mr Misty Eyes," Brady smirked, stepping onto the offered surface. The smirk was wiped off almost _immediately_ however, when Barricade slanted his servo so that she slipped down it and onto the floor. Glaring daggers, Brady gave a grunt at the impact. Her knee was still painful albeit healing. She pushed herself to her feet and scowled up at Barricade who had somehow stolen her smirk as it was now plastered upon _his_ lips. "Asshole," she grumbled.

"Follow me, Pet," Barricade ordered as he strode out of the room. Brady stayed put for a few moments, watching as the 'Con left the room – the doors sliding open and then closing behind him. Maybe this wouldn't be as bad as she thought. At least she got to follow Barricade's ass and not _Starscream's_.

Slowly, she followed, making her way to the large doors. Honestly, it felt like she was about to enter Jurassic Park. To her surprise, however, they didn't open. Great, good job Brady, Barricade told you to stay _right on his ass_ and within the first few seconds you've gone and got yourself lost.

Without warning, the doors rapidly opened causing her to jump. Barricade stood in front of her, evidently _pissed_ , not that she could blame him. "Right on your ass!" She reassured, rushing to his pedes.

With a roll of his optics, he continued on, walking down the surprisingly long hall. Dim and dark, Brady felt compelled to stay right by Barricade's side. Sure he was a Decepticon, but like it or not, he was the closest she had to a friend right now. "Wow I'm loving the decorations."

Barricade's gaze remained forward as he spoke. "There _aren't_ any."

"Exactly!" Brady exclaimed. Talk about depressing, jheez. For whatever reason, she was expecting human heads on spikes sticking out of the walls, leather and chains – all the bdsm shit. Not that she considered human heads on spikes to be included in that but who knows, people can be sick.

"Your point?"

"It's so dull. Boring. I'm _disappointed_."

"What exactly were you expecting?" It never occurred to him that humans assumed things about the Decepticons. _Imagined_ things about them.

"Not this."

"Clearly," Barricade snorted. "I'm guessing somethin' like – the walls painted with blood?"

Brady raised her brows. "Yes! Exactly that!"

"We're barbaric, yeah, but that's just fuckin' _disgusting_."

She actually laughed. It was genuine and caught Barricade off-guard. "What's funny?"

Brady shook her head, feeling rather shocked by her own outburst. "I don't know. I just—I think it's hysteria."

"Plenty more where that came from," He rumbled.

Then there was more silence as they walked. Her head was swirling with never ending questions, curiosity apparently desperate to kill the cat but she just couldn't bring herself to ask them. In time, maybe. She followed him into a room that was even darker than the halls. A large tv monitor was attached to one of the walls which he gestured to. "It's to my understanding that humans have rooms like this also?"

"They do," Brady confirmed. Her tone had risen slightly, simply due to the pure fascination that the Decepticons had a television. It was pretty funny, really. She imagined them all sat in the room together watching something dramatic, cheering and booing, fighting each other and arguing – like men in a bar watching the soccer.

"You comin'?" Barricade eyed her. She'd drifted and when she came back the 'Con had crossed the room and was stood beside the monitor.

"Shit—yeah, sorry." She was swift to catch up with him, though it was hard work keeping up with the other's pace, what with his steps being _many_ feet _bigger_ than hers.

"We're gonna forget the tour, or at least put it on pause. You don't need to know half of the shit that's on this ship so how about we just sit 'n' watch a movie? Pass the time somehow—"

It was clear Barricade wasn't completely open to this whole _babysitting_ duty. If she was a death-bringing robot god, neither would _she_. Exhaling heavily, she nodded. The walking was wearing out her leg anyway, which she noticed was starting throb. The 'Con moved over to a small shelf beside the tv, flicking through what looked like dvds, before picking one and putting it into the tv. Whilst he was occupied, Brady made herself comfortable, or as comfortable as the cold, hard floor could be. There was a couch, but there was no way in hell she'd be able to reach the seat. It was far too tall and jumping would only risk further injury to her knee, so she settled for the floor just in front.

When Barricade approached, he came to a halt and raised a ridge at her. Further analyzation showed that she indeed couldn't reach the seat and he had to bite at his glossa to stop himself from _snickering_. Taking a seat on the couch, Barricade continued to watch the girl upon the floor. She was already into the movie he'd put on, adjusting her position and hair. Humans, though parasitic, were admittedly interesting. Some, dare he say, even _attractive_. He **hated** it.

In silence, the mech grasped the scruff of Brady's t-shirt with his digits, plucking her from the floor. Taken by surprise, Brady gasped, wriggling and flailing in an attempt to free herself. "The fuck d'you think you're doing!?" She snarled, only to blink in confusion when she was lowered onto a seat on the couch. A look was given to Barricade in hopes of an answer, but he avoided her gaze, watching the tv. What was she supposed to do? How should she _react_?  
"Thanks—" It was a mutter, barely audible, but just enough to bring a smirk to the 'Con's lips. Huffing out air, Brady sat down on the gigantic seat. She was too tired to argue anymore.

 _Just sit and watch the movie_ – oh her conscience was certainly entertained, popcorn at the ready.

"Hey, Barri?" she didn't look to him, but she could feel his molten gaze _burning_ on her.

"Barri?" He hummed.

"I figured most people call you 'Cade but I prefer Barri. Is that okay?"

He was silent for a moment. "I've actually… never _had_ a nickname. But yeah, sure. Knock yourself out. _Please_."

So he could be sensitive _and_ an asshole? At least _Cybertronian_ men could multitask. "Dick," she mumbled. "How long was I out?"

"Exactly thirty seven hours, four minutes and twenty two seconds."

"Shit, that's precise."

"On Megatron's ship, you learn t' be."

That was understandable. She could imagine Megatron being similar to that of a police chief or army captain. No fucking around, _precise_ and _concise_. There she was, making more assumptions. "What made you choose the Decepticons?"

More silence, except this time it was longer. There was an obvious discomfort that seemed to suffocate the calm within the room. Barricade tensed, shifting within his seat. "This sounds like a very political topic—"

"I just—"

"Thin ice, Kid. _Real_ thin ice."

Brady opened her mouth to speak but her lips seemed to seal at the warning Barricade gave. So he didn't want to talk about it. _Fine_. "You clearly _enjoy_ it."

He raised an optical ridge. "Nobody enjoys **war**."

"BDSM," she replied and he was almost taken back by her response – shock washing over his expression and boy did Brady want to laugh. " **S** adism. I noticed the ' _to punish and enslave_ ' on your paint job. Your morals obviously aren't sincere if you're using _those_ words to back them up—"

"You know nothing about my morals," Barricade snapped, causing Brady to shift away from him a little. "War _changes_ you. As does witnessing the death of your closest comrades."

She felt bad for asking, and she certainly hadn't expected _that_ from a Decepticon. They seemed so 'in it to win it'. Sadistic monsters only wanting to kill and oppress. A frown caressed her features as she stared at the floor. How were you supposed to come back from _that_? "Oh…" Nice one.

"The Autobots _brainwash_ you humans," Barricade growled. "Make you believe that we only want chaos. That we're only here to slaughter. To **claim**. We want Cybertron back, just as much as they do."

They just wanted to go home. To live a normal, happy life again. Brady knew that the war had completely ravaged their world. Mankind was so swept up in the terror that _their_ world _too_ would become void of all life that they forgot these God-like machines deserved as much right to life as they did. But then again – there was proof Megatron wanted to _kill_ the human race. Wanted to **exterminate** them. "Who's to say that once you've got _your_ world back, Megatron won't take _ours_ too?"

Barricade stilled. There was no response for some time. The sound of the movie filled the awkward silence but she could almost feel the scowl on his face, weighing down on her. Why did she feel it was necessary to _sympathise_? To regret pointing fingers and blame? The Decepticons, including this _asshole_ beside her, had allowed the death of Optimus to take place. Her _friend_ – Earth's only hope. Morals or no morals, they lived to **deceive**. The crap he was spilling out to her right now could, for all she knew, be one hundred percent _bullshit_.  
Though she did wonder whether there were any Decepticons who regretted their choice. If any of them _wanted_ to defect.

A daunting feeling washed over her, cheeks heating. "Hey Barri, I don't suppose there's a _bathroom_ around here, is there?" Did they even function that way? Did Barricade even know what a toilet _was_? She was panicking at how desperate her bladder was. But then something even more horrific hit her. Barricade had said she'd been out for over 37 hours, but there was no way she'd be able to hold in urine for that long so— _oh god_ ! Had they stopped her from peeing? Had she just peed in front of them and they'd just been like ' _oh what's that_?' Embarrassment was clear upon her bright red cheeks, vague fear clouding her thoughts at what they'd done to her whilst she was out.

"We have a waste room. Basically the same thing—"

" _Great_! Let's go – **now**!" She clumsily stepped from the couch and began her decent to the floor. Terror gripped at her, aware that the impact would probably cause her to pee herself and it just wasn't an option. He was a robot, _sure_ , he probably wouldn't even _register_ it as embarrassing but Brady would die inside _for sure_. Caught in mid-air, Brady found herself clutching onto Barricade's digit. "Barricade please! I need to! I _gotta_!—"

But he seemed to understand, holding her within his palm as he transformed into his car form. They sped out of the movie room and down the hall. No conversation took place, only a thick silence that made her feel even worse about the situation. That was until Barricade screeched to a stop, transforming back into his 'bot form. They'd arrived at a room, the doors opening to Barricade's presence. The mech placed Brady on the floor and she gave him a nod before walking into the waste area. It was literally just a room with a drain in the middle of it. Was she expected to pee into the drain ? Who cared, really. She _had_ to pee. **Badly**. She would make do for now. She soon stopped walking when she noticed Barricade following her. "You can't _come in_ , Barri that's—"

"The door locks once you're in. If you go in without me, you won't be able to get out…"

"I can just _unlock_ —"

"They're weight sensors. The doors only unlock once the weight is sensed you won't be able to get out."

So that's why the doors in the medical room wouldn't open for her. That makes sense – _kind of_. Woah, hold on so that meant Barricade would be there _with her_ whilst she peed? Is that not the purpose of her not peeing herself? So he _didn't_ see? Gah!

"Whatever, whatever _fine_!" She snarled, gesturing for him to follow as she entered the room. She positioned herself over the drain, undoing her buckle before making eye contact with Barricade. "Turn around and **don't look** until I _say_ , okay!?"

The 'Con nodded, turning to the wall.

Brady pulled her pants down and relaxed, letting her bladder release, face turning even redder when the sound echoed throughout the room. She should just jump down the drain where she belongs. It'd save her from anymore embarrassment – _maybe_.

Once finished, she was swift to pull her pants up, buckling them tight. There was no paper, so she'd have to suffer but she was aware that she'd have to do this shit more than once. Especially with how long she was going to be kept there. Maybe it wouldn't be so _luxurious_ next time. "I'm done…" She exhaled.

Barricade remained silent as he stepped on the sensor. The doors opened, and Brady exited the room, her body drained of energy. All this panicking should be considered as _exercise_ , significantly at the rate _she_ was doing it. "Gotta sleep—" She mumbled. It was as though she'd been drugged. Her body felt weak, mind exhausted. She remembered the sharp pain in her arm – they **had** drugged her? Perhaps it was medication for her leg. Whatever it was, it was _working_. She stumbled backwards and Barricade caught her in his servo. Déjà vu struck when molten optics watched as she drifted into darkness, _once again_.

* * *

I love Barricade and I never see enough of him so yeah I wasn't sure about this chapter but let me know what you guys thought!


	3. Dauntless

I really enjoyed writing this chapter I just hope you guys like it! Please leave feedback or positivity it keeps me motivated!

* * *

Beep, beep, beep –

The harsh, provocative beeping signified how alive she was, and by the sound of it, she was _very_. Even though she felt dead – her body weak, exhausted, back pressed against unforgiving metal once again as she lay vulnerable to all in her slumber. Eyelids parted, revealing piercing shades of green as they admired the purple lights above.

Was she in the same room she'd woken in last time?

Groaning, Brady lifted a hand to rub over her face. Her brows raised in surprise. _Freedom_. Her hands were not bound like before. She looked them over, frowning at the various cuts and bruises scattered across them like stars within the sky. Only cuts and bruises – at least there was nothing severe she had to fret over. Especially when necessary treatment didn't seem to be provided here, judging by the poor job the Doctor had done on her leg. Stiches kept the skin together but it was a mess and Brady knew things could've been handled a lot better down on the Earth –

The Earth!

Her heart started to pound at the reminder of her vulnerability.

 _Don't get scared_ – she told herself – _don't panic, you'll figure this out_.

Would she?

Deep breaths. Beep, beep, beep –

Still alive, _for now_. Rubbing at her eyes, Brady forced herself to sit up. She examined her leg, grimacing at the sight. Did they not have bandages?

 _They're metal, of course they fucking don't_ – she cursed to herself.

An exhale swept from soft lips as she scanned the room, studying the objects she came across. Barricade wasn't here and neither was the Doctor, and yet, she wasn't restrained? Something wasn't right. Would they really just leave her here? Without supervision?

She could escape or she could at least hide but the doors—the weight sensors. She wouldn't be able to open them, or at least so Barricade had said. Brady wasn't stupid, in fact, she was incredibly determined and that combined with intellect made her _dangerous_. She'd find a way out.

Further observation brought her to a pair of crimson hues that glared at her through the darkness. She actually felt her heart stop momentarily, her own eyes wide with terror as they melded with those belonging to the harbinger of death. Frozen where she sat, Brady could only stare as shark-like teeth seemed to twinkle in the dim lighting – the other's form consumed by shadows.

Following her fear came seething anger, the desire to avenge Optimus Prime overwhelming as she wanted to launch at the darkness and tear it to pieces. But she only had tiny hands compared to the claws that were now visible against the low lighting.

Weak. Defenceless.

No wonder the Decepticons found mankind so pathetic.

"Don't come near me!" Brady hissed, shuffling backwards until she felt the edge of the table. She cast her gaze behind her, shock twisting in her gut at the realisation that she was higher than she'd originally thought. Falling from the table would lead to at least _something_ getting broken, if not just a general bloody, splattered puddle of what once was her body.

Trapped.

"It speaks," and she recognises the voice – feels it _vibrate_ through her like she's nothing but a shard of glass next to a building site. It was a voice undoubtedly whispered into the sensitive audials of war-torn Cybertronians before their sparks were plucked from their chests.

 **Megatron** , in the flesh – metaphorically.

She feels as though she's in contact with the devil, or at least Death himself. No, even Death would fear this castle of sadistic slaughter.

"Fuck you!" Brady spat back. Damn right she speaks. Before her stood the murderer of her friend. What she wouldn't give for the ceiling to collapse and crush them both – just to rid the galaxies of his presence. Then again, Megatron had come back from the dead. What the hell would a _ceiling_ do?

"Valiant," the Warlord mused, teeth still bared as he seemed to inhale through his mouth, tasting her scent within the air. "What is it that compels you, Insect?"

The descent of her fear was slow but reassuring when she could no longer feel her hands trembling. Control. It had been regained, if only temporarily. Megatron was already in the process of closing the distance, his disgust still putting a few feet between them, however. She watched his gaze as he appeared to look her over, staring at patches of skin – his optical ridges raised in thought. She felt like she was back at the factory, the glare of his optics keeping her pinned to where she sat. Feeling as though he might actually burn through her like a laser, Brady shifted – enough to just take her out of the line of sight he had set on her. Sniper eyes. Megatron scoffed at this, a cloud of steam puffing from his nose like an angry bull.  
What compelled her?  
"The fact that an asshole like you is still alive after all you've done, it's pretty compelling to me."

Every Decepticon was different. Some would respond overdramatically, others fuelled with anger by such words. Megatron simply shook his head in response. "You will come to understand why I do what I do, Pet."

"I'm already well aware," Brady stated. "Using power and violence against everyone just to get your way. You can spout about how much you want Cybertron back all you like, I know you only want it so you can claim it."

Megatron arched an optical ridge. "Which Autobot told you that? Hm? Perhaps Optimus." The tyrant turned his gaze away for a moment, his helm catching the light and Brady feels the shock swelling within her again. His helm was – well, simply put, a _mess_. In fact, it looked absolutely _fucked_. She was certain that if Megatron stood before her as a man rather than a mech, she would've vomited by now. Flea-like spider-bots crawled about his helm, buzzing at the wound which explained the unnecessary gritting of teeth every so often. Aware that Cybertronians possessed pain receptors, Brady couldn't even begin to imagine how painful his injury was. It also showed that, if it was as painful as she thought, Megatron was a master at deceiving and concealing.

"What happened to your head?"

He's taken off-guard to say the least, his optics immediately watching her again. The Warlord was riddled with confusion and curiosity. Concern was the least he expected from this human – especially _for him_. "There are many prices to pay in war."

Brows furrowed gently. "That didn't answer my question."

Megatron turns his gaze to his claws, admiring them for several moments before using them to pluck one of the many spider-bots from his head. They almost resembled tiny versions of the Doctor 'con – perhaps he'd assigned them to help Megatron heal, although the Warlord clearly saw them as nothing more than something to play out his sadism with as he squeezed it between two digits causing the bug-like bot to burst like a pimple. Some of the oily liquid spattered across Brady's face and she found herself gagging – still stuck on the pimple comparison. "What is it you do?"

She has to cock her head, expression stocked with confusion as she finds herself having to ask again. Do where? What was he asking her? It was such a sudden question, jumping from one thing to another. Talking of jumping, why wasn't she dead yet? Could she really be keeping the Decepticon Warlord entertained? Was he really not bored of her already? "What?" It sounds unintelligent but really, she feels that way right now.

Rolling his optics, the tyrant steps closer, flicking the squished bug in the opposite direction. His attention is now back on Brady and she feels his lava optics burning on her pale skin. "What do you do? On your planet, **Dirt**. What do you do with your life? Obviously nothing requiring intellect if you can't comprehend my question."

 _What are you doing with your life_ – it was a question her conscience had asked her in a dry tone with every failure she made.

Brady found herself glaring at him, offended. "College," She snaps. "I go to college. It's like a form of education—"

"And what do you learn at this college?"

"Astronomy, or at least I started to, before your Pretender got all _boy-crazy_." She paused, pointing upwards. "I study the universe and the objects within it like—"

"Yes," Megatron grunted. "Yes I know what astronomy is." There's another pause, the sound of Megatron's engine filling the silence as it rumbles. He took a step closer, optics observing the girl as he did so. "I take it that you possess an interest for space?" the Warlord asks. He looks up to where she pointed, the ceiling blocking sight of the outside world but Brady could see, she knew the image within Megatron's head and how fascinating and beautiful it was—  
It even brought a _smile_ to her lips which evaporated almost as soon as she realised it was there. "My home…" This time, his words are barely audible but she just about makes them out. She found herself humoured, the idea that Megatron was only just learning that he has something _in_ _common_ with a human.

Part of her wanted to see inside his mind, to see his thoughts and how he perceived the world around him, but she knew it went so much deeper. A never ending drop of relentless, bottled up emotions and she never wanted to experience that. It might make her _justify_ his madness and the idea that she would even think it was justifiable showed she was already possibly losing her mind.

Brady gave a nod. Was she honestly having a _casual_ conversation with Megatron? She was disgraced by herself. No, she was disgracing all who had died by his hand, in cold blood. "I really do."

He loomed over her, optics wide – full of captivation – and she felt as though she was reading a fictional fantasy to a child. She wanted to slap herself for comparing Megatron to a child.

 _Just be thankful you didn't say it out loud_ – she thought to herself.

"Why?" He pressed.

"I mean I thought it'd get me away from the assholes here on Earth but I guess they exist in space too," she threw Megatron another glare but her expression faltered when the tyrant laughed. She'd always heard about villains and their laughs, so evil and eerie but this was— nothing like that! A shiver ran through her at the sound, so gentle, almost heart-warming. The nausea was setting in again.

There was nothing heart-warming about the Decepticon Leader.  
This entire experience was already messing with her head.

He looked as though he was considering something, mentally debating with himself before a clawed servo reached out, clasping around her. It was a familiar feeling, except the wind wasn't trying to rip her face off this time. The grip didn't last long, however, as she was lifted up to the Warlord's right shoulder. He placed her on the armour, glancing at her out of the corner of his optic. "You don't appear to fear me," he observed.

Boy was he **wrong**. Perhaps she just hid it well? Concealed herself for survival. But isn't that what she thought Megatron was doing?  
 _  
Are you seriously comparing yourself to him_? – she could feel her conscience scowling at her.

Nope, nope, not at all, there were just some … similarities …

Brady shrugged. "Guess you haven't given me a good enough reason to."

His engine snarls as he makes his way to the doors. They open and he exists the Med-Bay, stopping for a moment – his gaze forward. "In good time," his voice is lower this time, as though he's giving her a warning.

Standing at such height and speed with no barriers to grab if she falls has her practically dropping to her ass. Hands grab at whatever armour there is available before she starts to hoist herself over to the dip that leads to his neck cables. It's safer there, a barrier of armour surrounding the area and plenty of gaps for her to slip into if necessary. Hiding spots, security – what more could a hostage _want_?

As soon as her feet made contact with the tyrant's neck she noticed him tense, his steps ironically robotic for a moment as though he was attempting not to halt. "Stop wriggling around, Worm," he growled, twisting his helm to once side in discomfort.

"Am I hurting you?" She inquired.

"N-no," once again, he's surprised by the concern riddled in her tone. "The cables you're touching they're— _sensitive_."

Brady has to hold back a laugh. "You're ticklish?"

Flustered, Megatron forces on a scowl. "What? **No**. It's—it's a form of _stimulation_ ," he admits.

The girl bites her lip as she grazes a hand against the cables and this time Megatron actually stops, his engine emitting a sound that was similar to the hum of human satisfaction. At the realisation that these cables were _sensually_ sensitive, Brady's hand then lifted away and she placed both atop her thighs – legs vaguely crossed though not enough to cause her knee any pain.

"I said **stop** it," Megatron snarled, his teeth bared in Brady's direction. "Get your _filthy_ insect feelers off of me."

Brady had frozen where she sat, hands to herself and head lowered awkwardly to avoid her capturer's gaze. "Sorry I'm—I didn't realise _sorry_ …"

It's awkwardly quiet, the ragged circulation of air through the tyrant's vents slowly being drowned out by the angry muttering of his engine. Soon enough, he continued down the hall.

Various, unfamiliar Decepticons passed – either bowing or stopping to acknowledge their leader one way or another, although there were some who grimaced and hissed at Brady, causing her to curl closer and closer to the protruding armour. She wanted out. She didn't want to be here anymore it was just too—eugh! This wasn't her life! This wasn't who she was, or at least, who she saw herself as. It was who she hid away, because that wasn't who she wanted to be.

 _Was it_?

Next time she's on the ground. The very next time and she'd make a run for it. Where? She had no idea, but anywhere was better than here, right?

After a while, Megatron turned into a room that was certainly brighter than the hallway. It took a few moments for Brady's eyes to adjust. The room was occupied by several Decepticons as well as numerous large, computer-looking things. It was similar to what she'd seen at NEST, military screens and technology but bigger. Much, much bigger. And far more advanced. She cast her gaze around the room, looking at faces and colour schemes that were all incredibly drab and dark. She felt as though she'd uncovered a cockroach nest; some of the most genocidal beings ever formed upon Cybertron walking straight past her.

"Lord Megatron." She can't see who the voice is coming from but she already knows who it belongs to.

Megatron slowly turned to face him, "what is it?" Brady found herself holding onto the armour at her side just a little tighter.

She was now face to face with Starscream, Megatron's second in command. Well, face to wings, as the SIC was currently _bowing_ to Megatron. Brady was aware of Starscream's indescribable thrill to betray Megatron, although she'd never witnessed the _true extent_ of it. Ironhide had told her about how unpredictable the seeker was and although often cowardly, how **dangerous** he could be. "I have good news, my Liege, Soundwave has made a discovery that's very beneficial for the Decepticon Cause—"

"Then why isn't he telling me himself?" Megatron shot back, a servo grabbing Starscream by his scruff. "Quit _grovelling_ Starscream it's embarrassing." He then threw the seeker aside, causing Brady to cup her hands over her mouth. She wanted to laugh, but shit did it look painful.

Starscream hit the ground but was swift to regain his footing, racing to Megatron's side again, though not quite as low to the ground this time. "He is busy, Master—"

"So you decided to take credit for his intel?" Megatron arched an optical ridge accusingly.

The seeker gasped. "Of course not, Lord Megatron, I only wished to pass on the good news!"

Megatron's engine rumbled impatiently. "Then _get_ _on_ with it."

"An energon source has been discovered, Master!"

Brady raised her brows. She tried to lean forward, to take in Megatron's reaction, until Starscream caught sight of her and pointed.

"Lord Megatron you have a _roach_ infestation, allow me to terminate it!" Starscream spat, and the sight of his claws had Brady ducking back down.

She half expected Megatron to allow his SIC to remove her and squish her like a bug and she felt her gut tense when Megatron raised a servo to the seeker's chest. "Stand down you ignoramus. This is my _pet_ , which you have no permission to touch."

Starscream stopped immediately, his servos flying up to cover his face as Megatron reached for him.

She should be terrified of Megatron, crying and pleading to go home but honestly, she dreaded leaving the comfort of his neck cables and heavy, husky voice. She felt **protected** in his company. To be alone would put her at risk.

"It's gotta suck, Starscream," Brady piped up from her cover.

The seeker arched an optical ridge. " _What_ has?"

"The fact that Megatron would rather spend time with a gross fleshy than _you_. Says a _lot_ , actually—"

"Why you little—!" Starscream was cut off by Megatron's overpowering voice, taking him down a peg – or two.

:: Soundwave ::, Megatron pressed a claw to his comm. :: Do expand on what Starscream is incompetently informing me of. The energon source you have located, where in the process of extraction are you and where is this location? ::

There was no response, or at least that Brady could hear. Megatron's change of expression told her otherwise, however. Perhaps Soundwave had dug out Sam's brain after all. She was taken by surprise when she was scooped from her seat and whisked into the air. Megatron placed her on top of a control system, the surface flat but high up and _oh god she had to sit down_.

The feeling that she could be pushed off by a simple breeze caused her to once again drop to her ass, holding her knees close to her chest. She felt vulnerable, her confidence decreasing by the second at such sudden exposure to many molten optics.

Megatron continued his conversation with Soundwave, Starscream watching him intently but they were both – _distracted_.

With their backs turned, Brady's eyes opened wide and her lips threatened to tear at the grin of excitement that spread across her face. It was quickly gone, but the thrill had her almost vibrating on the spot.

 _Now's your chance, get the fuck outta here_ – her conscience screamed.

It was right. Everyone was busy, their thoughts occupied by the fear of Megatron catching them lazing around. It was now or never. Pushing herself to her feet, Brady stumbled down the sloped screen and jumped over what looked like a large computer keyboard, except it was filled with symbols she didn't recognise. Cybertronian perhaps?

The language had always seemed so interesting, although, she'd rather learn it from Optimus' lips than Megatron's.

 _Optimus is dead, Kid_ – her conscience grumbled.

But she needed proof. She needed to see for herself.

Scrambling down the leg of the table, she felt like a fire-woman rushing into action as she bounced on the ground and broke into a sprint. Dodging under large pedes, she made her way to the exit, hiding around a corner until someone exited the room. Sure enough, a badass looking 'Con exited the room and she was right behind it, until the doors slid shut. Parting from the pedes which could so easily turn her to a bloody mush, she ran the opposite way, sticking to the shadows and corners of the halls.

 _Freedom is the right of all sentient beings_ – Optimus had once told her. This was her chance to freedom and like hell would she let a bunch of assholes get in her way. Down the hall she scurried like a rat on the run, she turned a corner and ran through the nearest set of open doors, before they closed – hopefully not slicing her in half in the process. The second she entered the "room", she witnessed a Decepticon transforming into a jet form before taking flight through large doors in the floor that slowly opened and holy shit the outside world could be seen – _from a bird's eye view at least_ – and she was nearly swept away by the vicious wind. "No!" She howled, gripping onto a handle beside the door as if it was her last hope for survival, and really, it was.

She was in the air, she was one hundred percent aware now, the realisation that there truly was no escape dawning on her. She could jump, but that'd just send her through the air and to the ground. It'd be the same fate she had on this ship, except it'd be mother nature's foot and not a Decepticon's. "Oh fuck oh fuck!" She sobbed. Helpless, there was no way she could leave the room without being sucked into the sky and tossed around by the wind like a carcass amongst a pack of wild dogs.

The doors behind her slid open but she couldn't hear or see there, only the shifting of metal as the floor doors closed, causing Brady to simply drop down onto her side. She whimpered, groaning before scuttling back to her feet at the voice booming behind her. "It would seem my pet requires some _training_. What? Did no one ever teach you to **sit** still?" Megatron loomed over her, teeth bared as he reached to grab her. "Are you happy now? There is no escape from me, Fleshling."

"Fuck you!" Brady snarled back, racing through the Warlord's legs and out into the hall. She could feel her knee start to pulse at the pressure she was repeatedly putting on it but right now that was the least of her problems. There was a forty foot, angry Decepticon Warlord chasing her and the distance he could cover in a matter of seconds was _far_ more than she could. Faster than she thought she was capable of running, Brady raced down the hall and into another room, hopefully out of the tyrant's sight.

The doors slid shut behind her and she pressed her back to them, gasping for air. Green eyes flicked around the room, studying where she was and who was here. She just hoped Megatron wouldn't find her. Exhausted, Brady started to walk forwards, freezing on the spot when she noticed the figure a short distance away. It looked like some sort of _vulture_ , perched upon a wooden branch-thing that stuck out of the wall and yeah, she was backing away now. Focussed on the bird creature before her, Brady forgot the door was directly behind her and she bumped straight into it. The bird's head lifted and turned, blood red optics watching her every move.

 _You're fucked_ – her conscience laughed. – _You're so fucked. You should've just jumped out of ship. Better than being ripped apart by a metal vulture._

Brady let out a sob of shock, causing the bird's wings to raise and dear god it was bigger than she thought! With wide eyes, Brady scanned for a hiding place, defenceless like a mouse in an open field. She spotted a large shelf and ran towards it, dodging into a roll as the bird swooped down to grab her.

"Rodent!" It hissed, swooping down again – metal claws clanking against the floor.

She didn't dare look behind her, Brady sprinted for the shelf and forced herself through a gap that allowed her to be just out of reach. The bird, however, wished to challenge this, snapping at her through the gap and only missing by a few inches. "Oh I am so fucked!" She cried out, looking upwards. She could climb up and through the shelf! _**If**_ she could climb, that was. To hell with " _if"_.

Gritting her teeth, Brady pressed her back against the wall and pushed her feet against the shelf, easing her way up the gap and towards another shelf. The bird was distracted, still snapping at what it thought was Brady. The girl kept climbing, desperate to reach at least some form of safety compared to the position she'd just been in.

 _I can do this_ – she stated in her head. She couldn't speak, not now. She couldn't alert the bird of her position, otherwise the pain in her leg would be for nothing.

There! Hands grabbed the edge and she heaved herself up onto the smooth surface. As soon as she was up, she searched for heavy objects, but ones she could actually lift. There was a glass ball – just a bit bigger than the size of her head but she could lift it – just about. Wincing at the weight, she lifted the ball and steadied her grip. "Hey, bird brain!" There was a momentary silence before the bird came snapping at her from down below, but she managed to throw the ball off and straight onto the creature's head. Confused and disorientated, the bird shook its head and retreated back, giving Brady a little distance. Her eyes grew wide when it got ready to launch at her again. She was unprepared and now unarmed. She would have to fight it _physically_. Hands and limbs were her last weapons and as the bird dove towards her, she readied herself for the jump. Straight onto its neck, if all went to plan. _But did it ever_?

"Laserbeak, stand down!" A voice snarled, echoing throughout the room and causing the bird to retreat back to its perch.

To both Brady's horror and delight, Megatron stood in the doorway, the light casting his shadow to be much larger than he was which she was sure was impossible but she'd just been attacked by a robotic bird-snake-thing. Was impossible even _possible_? The Decepticons had her questioning everything now.

"Lord Megatron!" The bird rasped. "There is a human, I was only—"

"It is my pet, and also apparently one of my biggest mistakes," The Warlord sneered, walking over to Brady. "You," he spat, grabbing the girl who allowed herself to be taken again. She knew now there was no escape, and if she had to be here, with Megatron was the only way she'd survive. "You're a real pain in my aft."

"So kill me," Brady dared, exhausted and breathless as she lay limp in Megatron's grip.

Snort. She was met with a cloud of steam as he carried her from the bird's den and out into the dim hall again. Silence followed as he placed her back within his neck cables. Where was he taking her? Would it be stupid to try and start a conversation? What was he going to do with her?

 _Shut up !_ – she mentally scolded her mind for its continued stream of questions she didn't know the answer to, nor did she really want to.

Brady frowned to herself. She never asked for any of this. She just wanted to be at home in her bed. She wanted to eat and cry for however long she needed to. There was no way she'd let herself cry in front of Megatron. Not now. She had to push through. He believed she was valiant. She would remain that way. Conceal her sorrows.

"Soundwave's going to be pissed when he finds out you broke his glass ball," Megatron's voice is so soothing and she feels her eyelids starting to hood.

"You saw that?" Brady bit her lower lip, still frowning gently.

"All of it," Megatron confirmed. "Dauntless valour, for your size."

She could feel a blush heating fair skin, simply due to the idea of being far more powerful than anyone had ever made her out to be – _especially_ herself. "It's just this annoying persistence I have," Brady exhaled. "Stop using big words, it's nothing special. I just get in the way."

"Is that what you know? Or what you've been told?" Megatron asked. "You would make a strong warrior." There's a fairly long pause and he seems to hesitate on his words. "It's a pity— you were cursed with such a weak form."

She could feel her brows raise but her mind was too tired to analyse every word. Subconsciously, she was aware of something alarming but she couldn't bring herself to pay attention to it. "I'm not weak," she grumbled. "It's just that no one warned me I'd be—fighting mother fuckers like _you_."

The Warlord chuckles in response. "Humans. Such a parasitic specie."

"Thanks," Brady scoffed.

Yet she was so different from the ones he'd seen. Humour, concern, courage. He would never admit it out loud, but he saw in her traits of himself. He saw a warrior that could be—

She was staring. He could feel her, _sense_ her.

"What?" He would be frustrated that she'd interrupted his thoughts, but honestly, he was glad.

"You said I would make a strong warrior—"

"Did I?" Megatron hummed.

She gave a roll of her eyes. Was that a playful nature she sensed in his tone? Or was it just sarcasm? Were they not the same thing? What a complicated mech. "I've only ever gotten in the way. Optimus—"

"Has Optimus witnessed your abilities? Has he ever given you the time of day? No, because Optimus refuses to acknowledge the power he has, merely due to your size. He doesn't ask for your help, because he doesn't think your capable."

Brady winced again. Ouch. That was cruel. But was Megatron right? Optimus had never asked her to help, and yet, he always allowed Sam to get involved. What was the difference? It couldn't be based on gender because did Cybertronians even have assigned genders? Sure there was he/him and she/her but—

Agh it was all so complicated and confusing.

"You're going to have to feed me eventually," Brady remarked, grimacing at the sound of her stomach rumbling furiously.

"Feed you?"

"I have to eat, Megatron. Consume food, like you consume energon. Otherwise I'll die."

"I _ban_ you from such."

The girl's expression creased. Was he serious? "You can't **ban** be from _dying_ , Megatron."

"Whatever," Megatron snapped in response, falling silent again. Brady assumed he was simply embarrassed, but what she wasn't aware of was that Megatron was researching as he walked – human foods and how to feed a pet.

Brady curled up amongst the Warlord's neck cables, finding comfort in the emanating warmth. So many times she had almost died or been killed within the past few days. Surely her survival was for a reason. A _sign_.

The swaying of Megatron's form as he walked and the exhaustion that weighed her down like a paper weight lulled her into a false sense of security as she drifted into a much needed sleep.


End file.
